Bruce Rogers at Forbes makes a pretty convincing argument that they are:
Forbes Insights and Appinions looked at the data for the week prior to the Sandy Hook tragedy and trended the data over the subsequent 5 weeks to determine the ebb and flow over the gun control debate. We found that the NRA and the pro-gun rights voices are winning the influence battle and will continue to be strong and more influential if the pro gun control voice remains fragmented. On the flip side, the pro gun control voice could certainly gain influence if they establish a more united voice. Here are some other interesting observations from the data:
Republican politicians are missing from the debate. The debate is an influence battle between President Barack Obama’s Democrats and Wayne LaPierre’s NRA. Of the top 25 stakeholders in the debate, there is only 1 prominent Republican politician (Chris Christie – who is pro-gun control). Barack Obama leads the pro-gun control voice with a net influence score of 268. LaPierre leads the anti-gun control side with a net influence score of 240.It’s a Marathon, not a sprint. It seems the NRA has the stamina to out-run the pro-gun control movement. They are persistent, un-yielding and gaining influence. It will be interesting to see how the pro-gun control voice responds and how the influence between the two groups changes as the debate persists.
The pro-gun rights voice is rapidly gaining influence while the pro-gun control voice has tapered in recent weeks. Momentum is shifting and the gun control debate is becoming a platform benefiting gun rights advocates.
The pro–gun control group is fragmented whereas the pro-gun rights voice is united and strong. Of the top influencers on the pro-gun rights side, the majority of the most prominent voices are from the NRA. The pro-gun control voice is split between Obama and several gun control advocacy groups which dilutes the message.
This would certainly seem to indicate that information filtered through a hostile media is, in this instance, being ignored or given less weight than more independent sources of information like social media and talk radio. Also, vicious on-air attacks directed against Wayne LaPierre and the NRA seem to be backfiring, generating some sympathy.
It helps that gun control advocates appear hysterical at times with a tendency to vastly overstate their case and dismiss counterarguments. In truth, gun advocates are prone to similar hyperbole on the opposite side, but with so many Americans possessing a firearm, or living with them in their houses, the gun control lobby has a much more difficult case to make.
Unless something dramatic happens — another school shooting or mass murder — I don’t see public opinion changing much. Nor will politicians stick their necks out very far to support much if any of the president’s gun control agenda. With the NRA and gun rights advocates winning the battle for hearts and minds, the issue of gun control could easily slide off the radar in the next few weeks.
Gun control will continue as an emphasized narrative beyond the SOTU. How far beyond? That it’s losing altitude and continues to do so in the run-up to the SOTU is a good thing. It will rise again however in the wake of inevitable court cases to come a couple of which are sure to make it to the federal appellate level; at which point, things get interesting.
Every once in a while mainstream and otherwise law-abiding Americans are asked to obey laws they just aren’t going to.
Prohibition was largely ignored, and buying marijuana in the last few decades has been as easy as getting a pizza delivered.
Americans will ignore gun control, many probably already do in cities where controls are tight. We often call for civil disobedience but it isn’t something one can lobby for. Touch an American in the right place and it just happens. Tight gun controls will never take in America. It’ll just go quietly underground with little fuss and certainly no announcements.
There were no grand openings for speak-easies or when someone took up dealing weed. Just a few well-placed phone calls.
Quick, have Mayor Rahm write a letter to the NRA’s banker…
I personally don’t own any guns at this time, but I fully support the 2nd Ammendment and joined the NRA. I was born a Jew and I am ashammed when I see so many anti gun Jews support bills like Feinsteins “Assault Weapons” Bill. In the past you had Metzenbaum, now Schumer, Soros, Bloomberg and many more. Have we not learned from history the danger of a massive centralized govt and its abuses of power. Its hunger to grab more and more power away from the people. The FBI reports that so few rifles are used in crimes of violence (more with blunt instruments, like hammers) other then these specific horrible anomalies of derranged males who want the media to make them famous in their murders and their suicide. According to studies, the media and the publicity it gives these sick individuals can cause this violent behavior ( a sick version of Andy Warhols 15 min of fame). Also fellow Jews; has humanity changed that much, other then technical achievements? Look how antisemitism is spreading throughout Europe right now. Its horrible in Great Britain. Have we forgotten the Warsaw getto and other Jewish resistance groups fighting the Nazis and lets not forget the Russian Pograms?
Anyway please check out jpfo.org (Jews for the preservation of firearms freedom) and frontpagemag.com to understand more of what I’m saying.
“Unless something dramatic happens — another school shooting or mass murder…”
That is what I fear may be staged.
That is what I fear may be staged.
Or the MSM wing of Obama’s party will diligently blow out of proportion any incident they can, no matter how ordinary or trivial, to overdramatize it in favor of gun control.
The antigun message is fragmented because the antigunners are liars. Two different people will make up two different lies.
“…gun control advocates appear hysterical at times”
You must be referring to NY’s Governor Cuomo, whose approval rating dropped by 15 percent after his ridiculous rant during the state of the state address.
Also, Parents at Newtown CT schools are asking for armed police presence at all schools. So yeah, the NRA is winning the message war, such as it is.